ECONOMIST HAABAZOKA CALLS HH A FAKE ECONOMIST

By Top Secret.
Russian trained comedian but self installed Zambian economist Lubinda Haabazoka has called UPND President Hakainde Hichilema as a fake Economist without a vision for Zambia.

Haabazoka however says the Zambian economy is performing better under President Edgar Lungu.

And the comedian says the Zambian media is useless for hosting UPND President Hakainde Hichilema on their platforms as he does not know economics.

The newly found President Edgar Lungu’s fish pond economic advisor rants the Media must ask for Hichilema’s curriculum vitae (CV) before interviewing him.

Below is a statement sent to Top Secret by Haabazoka who flanked at the University of Zambia but rushed to Russia to get papers in business administration said to be equal to economics…..

Dr Lubinda Haabazoka writes…
Just like in law, economics in most cases is not an exact science. The danger of this is that you find different views on any issue. Law and economics will in most cases attract non specialists to give opinions about issues relating to the field. This is very good because it gives specialists in these fields an idea of how their trade is perceived. But we need to understand that common sense does prevail when we go into the details.
In Zambia for sometime now, we have seen a number of individuals and organizations commenting on national economic matters! That is very good because it means citizens are very much interested in the economic aspects of Zambia’s development.

What is rather saddening is that people whose core expertise is not economics related have been given a platform to speak and advise on national economic matters! We have seen people become prominent commentators on national economic issues without having solved any problem in econometrics. It is very dangerous as a country to open expert debate on national economic issues to parties that do not even have a background on the history of economic thought. Last week it came to my attention that in this country as an economist, you don’t qualify to teach or practice public financial management (literary Public Finance). I am beginning to fear for my country.

Zambia has a lot of commenters on a lot of issues. You will find a lot of people that comment on any issues. Why do people court the media? Why do people speak so much? What is the purpose? Self recognition or what?

Well I can only answer for academicians. In academia, one important factors considered for promoting is community service. Commenting on various issues in either print or electronic media scores points in our promotion criteria. Our freedom to research and speak in our field of expertise is enshrined in the republican constitution. We have a lot of intelligent economists in the ministry of finance and even the Bank of Zambia. You don’t hear about them because that is not part of their job description. For some who move to academia, you hear about them almost immediately. So what is the motivation for those whose core business is not advocacy to speak on national economic issues?

What we should avoid is having a situation where people use common knowledge to convince government (politicians at policy level) and in most cases citizens to take certain positions on national economic issues. Our friends the lawyers have protected themselves by going statutory. Accountants won’t even allow you to touch a balance sheet if you are not a chartered accountant. So as economists why have we opened our area to everyone? Economics sounds simple but is a very difficult field. You need to understand theory and the quantitatives for you to succeed in solving economic problems. Economics has certain rules and in most cases when these rules are ignored, you arrive at wrong conclusions. Economics does not sing to popular tunes just like law. A rapist can escape jail when there is no evidence. Just like in law, we can’t assume things because that is what is perceived to be popular. It is easy for non specialists to rush into unfolded popular conclusions. But for us economists and more especially those in academia, until certain conditions are met, we cant give a verdict.

In some countries, media houses will ask for your CV before entrusting you with a platform. In Zambia anybody can speak however they want and whenever they want. Let us do an experiment. Let us for the month of November ask for CVs of experts we collect information from. I can tell you that the newspapers will be blank and news will be quiet for November.

We should not argue with pressure groups and non specialists on national economic issues. Just like we don’t argue with engineers or lawyers, I also ask others not to move into our field. But we have to be careful because economics has a lot of other related fields. Actually business studies, development studies among others are part of economics. Those we embrace.

When we argue with fellow economists, we argue on substance. We in most cases will even refer to different schools of thought and outline weaknesses of each school. The one with less weaknesses is the one we agree to take. In some cases we never even agree but arrive at the same answer despite takin different routes. That is what makes economics great! Some economists are quantitative, some are qualitative and others are both.
We need to set strict economic ethical rules in this country. Sometimes you hear NGOs formed to fight gender violence talk about interest rates in the certain platform with economist. I have shared platforms unfortunately with economists who in an argument move from issue based debate to personal attacks. To such economists, please revisit theory. Sometimes you need that to sharpen your experience.

To my fellow media outlets, please watch Bloomberg and transfer what they do to your business/economics news rooms. That way, the country will positively benefit from economic debate.
My personal thoughts from Florida.

18 COMMENTS

By taking sides you have lost the confidence of the suffering Zambians who are abused by the poor economic management of the leadership . You have lost your objectivity and so your analysis will not mean anything to the Zambians. Please resign your seat in EAZ and concentrate on hustling for a job in the PF set up. I wish you well.

he forgets that economics respects two types of thoughts namely: normative and positive statements. the normative ones are the common sense Dr. Haabazoka is against and the positive ones are based on principle. these bench mark of the prevailing economic climate hand. Hence one school of thought does not over ride other. in the event of doing so, it demonstrates lack of respect of opinion and pride.

What is wrong with these guys called Lubinda???? this chima guy must sober up, he is very childish and proud yet he is called ‘Dr.’ Ph.Ds are critical thinkers, but this one, he is just like a grown up street kid.

You Habazoka has become fake. When you were at the Copperbelt University, you spoke your free mind on various issues concerning our economy and everybody was happy with your contributions. It made sense to every scholar, professional in economics and all Zambians. Is this what lack of a job can do to somebody by agreeing to turn 180 degrees from the truth to lies just for a salary? You must be ethical as a professional and say the truth to your fellow citizens. Who told you that the economy of Zambia is doing well, Do you know how an economy does well? The exchange rate has gone mad, never mind it being stable by not fluctuating so much but remaining at a peg so poor. Such an economy can not remain at inflation of a single digit, for all we know inflation data is manipulated. Standard of living for the people is unbearable AND YOU hABAZOKA SAYS THE zAMBIAN ECONOMY UNDER THE pf IS DOING WELL, WHO ARE YOU INSULTING- THE zAMBIAN PEOPLE? The economy under the MMDwaqs doing better than than under PF. This you know. Where in the world would you find a country with so much corruption doing well? Can you get the money in their pockets and put it into the economy for the economy to start doing well? Keep your mouth shut over HH. you are too small to start poking your nose where you shouldn’t. Just start feeding your mother in Luanshya with stolen money from the PF which has imprisoned your mind. What a poison!!

You do Not QUALIFY as doctor, your Thinking and Talk Speak Volumes about Your Dullness. HICHILEMA has made an International CV and Has Demonstrated through his Actions of Creating Wealth For His Family while you, Haabazoka Failed to Run a Small Farm in Luanshya, Shame to You. God, Give Us HICHILEMA AS OUR ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT SOON. Remove these Criminals, pf, From Power together with This Monkey Haabazoka.

I beg to differ with Habazoka on the fact that Economics should be left to economics! Those who went to school at least have come across basic economics. For instance at Primary school all of us were taught the law of demand and supply among others! So why would I wait for Habazoka to comment if I understand how it works! Some chartered accounting courses have economics in them. They understand the economic happenings in the world. I diasgree for instance that only accountants should comment on financial matters. After all financial statements are for any any users of that information regardless of thier profession! Habazoka is misleading not only his students but the nation at large. Politics of the belly!

Haabazoka could be said to be ” a ponopono ponopono guy too” ( quote and according to some PF chairperson ! How about that ? Am so surprised to note that ( it’s surely the same haabazoka who previously wrote great articles in time past ! What went wrong with the fellow ?

What has gone wrong is that he has sold his soul to the wolves and hyenas and thrown away his principles for the sake of the belly. The moment I saw him and his team at State House I knew he was gone. Dragging PhDs in the mud. What a shame and disappointment.

Lubinda sober up what do you have to compare your standard to HH????You are like Athonio Mwanza after HH paid his education and before he joined PF he was great but now useless to make his belly big?????